Support for coils of cable, welding wire or the like

ABSTRACT

A support is described for coils of cable, welding wire or the like, comprising:
         a central huh ( 20 ) constituted by two first rings ( 22 ) respectively fixed to the ends of, mutually parallel, rods ( 24 ) of substantially equal length ;   two annular flanges ( 30 ) integral respectively with two opposite ends of the hub to define an annular space around the hub inside which to house the coil,   the flanges being constituted by two second rings ( 32 ) with larger diameter than the first rings, each second ring being connected concentrically and rigidly to a first ring by radial rods ( 34 ).       

     To avoid accidental injury to the user, the outer edge of at least one end ( 66 ) of each rod comprises a blunting ( 80 ).

The present invention relates to a support for reels of cable, weldingwires or the like.

Known supports for reels of cable, welding wires or the like, such asfor example those described in U.S. Pat. No. 821,708 or U.S. Pat. No.4,519,556, essentially consist of a central hub and two annular flangesintegral with the huh which delimit an annular space to accommodate thecoil into.

A subset of these supports has a peculiar lattice construction. Thecenter hub consists of two rings rigidly spaced by parallel rods, andthe annular flanges are made up of rings of larger diameter that arerigidly connected concentrically to a ring of the hub by radial rods(see also FIG. 1).

The rods are usually produced by cutting a longer bar and, normally, inthe final shearing stage an acuminate burr is formed on at least one endof a rod. The burr, by the way the support is built, ends up in somecases facing outwardly, and thus could pose a potential injury hazardfor the operators who will come into contact in subsequentmanipulations.

The main object of the invention is to improve this state of art.

Another object is to provide a support of the aforesaid type having alower level of danger for the operator who handles it.

An aspect of the invention relates to a support for coils of cable,welding wire or the like, comprising:

-   -   a central hub constituted by two first rings respectively fixed        to the ends of, e.g. mutually parallel, rods of substantially        equal length;    -   two annular flanges integral respectively with two opposite ends        of the hub to define an annular space around the hub inside        which to house the coil,    -   the flanges being constituted by two second rings with diameter        larger than the first rings, each second ring being connected        concentrically and rigidly to a first ring by radial rods;    -   wherein the outer edge of at least one end of each rod comprises        a blunting.

The blunting may consists of a portion inclined by 45 degrees withrespect to the longitudinal axis of the rod, or of a rounded portion orwith an increased curvature radius.

As variants, preferably one or each ring:

-   -   consists of a segment bent or curved circularly so that the ends        of the segment join or meet; and/or    -   has circular or polygonal shape; and/or    -   is made of metal; and/or    -   is a hollow tubular element.

As variants, to be added to each of the above, preferably one or eachrod: consists of a straight or curved segment; and/or

-   -   is made of metal; and/or    -   is a hollow tubular element.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a method for constructing anaforementioned support, with the steps of:

-   -   taking some rods and blunting the outer edge of at least one end        of each rod;    -   attaching, e.g. by welding, the rods to two first rings and to        two second rings with diameter larger than the first rings, so        that    -   each second ring is rigidly connected concentrically to a        respective first ring by radial rods, and    -   the two first rings and the two second rings are concentric,        wherein    -   the first rings are connected by rods parallel to each other.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a method to produce rods thatmake up a support as defined above, with the step of

-   -   blunting the outer edge of at least one end of each rod before        fixing the rods to said rings.

The above-mentioned blunting step may be performed in several ways,

For example, from the sharp edge of the edge of the rod, e.g. with aninclined cut by 45 degrees, the extremity prism is removed; or

-   -   the end of the rod may be beveled or filed or polished.

Preferably, the blunting step occurs during the cutting of a rod from alonger member, so as to shorten the production cycle. In particular, theblunting step is performed by cutting said longer member with a cuttingedge that rotates about the longitudinal axis of the longer member (andtherefore also about the longitudinal axis of the produced rod), Thisway, the rod can be cut and blunted at the same time, thereby avoidingburr formation.

Upon considering an axial cross-section of the rod, preferably the stepof blunting generates on said edge an inclined plane or a corner with aradius of curvature greater than or equal to 0.25 mm.

In each variant, the blunting processing may be done either manually orby a machine, preferably a numerical-control machine.

The present invention is hereafter further described in a preferredembodiment of support with reference to the accompanying drawing, inwhich:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a known support;

FIG. 2 shows in perspective and zoomed view a rod of the support in FIG.1;

FIG. 3 shows in lateral view a production step of a support;

FIG. 4 Shows in lateral view a rod belonging to a second supportaccording to the invention.

In the figures, same numbers indicate similar or equal elements.

To avoid crowding the drawings, equal elements are not always marked.

A support 10 for a solder-wire coil (not shown) comprises a central hub20 and two annular flanges 30.

The hub 20 consists of two equal circular rings 22 which are fixed atthe ends of parallel rods 24 of substantially equal length. The rods 24are preferably spaced angularly in uniform manner around the rings 22.By construction, then, the hub 20 results kind of a cylindrical cage.

The flanges 30 are respectively integral with the two opposite ends ofthe hub 10 and serve to delimit an annular space V around the hub 10 inwhich to accommodate the coil.

Each flange 30 is constituted by a circular ring 32 having diameterlarger than a ring 22′s. Each ring 32 is rigidly connected to a ring 22by radial rods 34 of essentially equal length. The rods 34 arepreferably angularly distributed in uniform manner around the rings 22.By construction, then, on each Side of the support 10 a ring 32 isconcentric with a ring 22, and all the rings 22, 32 are concentric witheach other (the center of each ring 22, 32 lies on the axis X of the hub20).

Optional rods 40 are fixed to, and orthogonally to, two rods 34 attachedat their ends to different rings 32. The axis of the rods 40 is awayfrom the X axis more than the axis of the rods 24, therefore the coilcan in practice be wound on a hub of larger diameter.

The rods 24, 40 are parallel to the X axis while the rods 34 areorthogonal to the X axis.

FIG. 2 shows a known rod making up the support 10, any rod among thosedescribed.

The cutting operations from a longer member to create the rod generateat least at one of its ends a radial burr 50, which can cause injury towho will handle the support 10.

FIG. 3 shows a rod for composing a support like the support 10 butproduced according to the invention, in order to avoid injuries to theperson handling the support.

From a thread-like member 60 a linear portion 62 is cut, which willcorrespond to any one of the rods 24, 34, 40. The cutting operationtakes place via a rotating knife 70 comprising at least one edge orblade 72 engaging the surface of the member 60 and rotating circularly(see arrow F) around the longitudinal axis Y of the member 60 itself.

Preferably, the edge or blade 72 is also pressed against the member 60during the rotation and/or the cut.

FIG. 4 shows the obtained rod 62, having a longitudinal axis W. It isappreciated that the outer edge 64 of at least one end 66 of the rod 62comprises a blunting 80, and, however, there is no burr like the burr50.

The blunting 80, which e.g. may be an inclined plane with respect to theaxis W or a rounded segment, prevents the accidental injury of those whotouch the rod 62 when it is used for making up a support like the one inFIG. 1.

1. Support for coils of cable, welding wire or the like, comprising: acentral hub (20) constituted by two first rings (22) respectively fixedto the ends of, e.g. mutually parallel, rods (24) of substantially equallength; two annular flanges (30) integral respectively with two oppositeends of the huh to define an annular space around the hub inside whichto house the coil, the flanges being constituted by two second rings(32) with diameter larger than the first rings, each second ring beingconnected concentrically and rigidly to a first ring by radial rods(34); wherein the outer edge of at least one end (66) of each rodcomprises a blunting (80).
 2. Support according to claim 1, wherein theblunting consists of a portion inclined by 45 degrees with respect tothe longitudinal axis (W) of the rod, or of a rounded portion or with anincreased curvature radius.
 3. Support according to claim 1, wherein oneor each ring consists of a segment bent or curved circularly so that theends of the segment join or meet.
 4. Support according to claim 1,wherein one or each ring is a hollow tubular element.
 5. Supportaccording to claim 1, wherein one or each rod consists of a straight orcurved segment.
 6. Support according to claim 1, wherein one or each rodis a hollow tubular element.
 7. A method for constructing a support (10)for coils of cable, welding wires or the like, with the steps of: takingsome rods (62) and blunting the outer edge of at least one end (66) ofeach rod; attaching the rods to two first rings (22) and to two secondrings (32) with larger diameter than the first rings, so that eachsecond ring is rigidly connected concentrically to a respective firstring by radial rod (34), and the two first rings and the two secondrings are concentric, wherein the first rings are connected by road (24)parallel to each other.
 8. Method according to claim 7, wherein the stepof blunting comprises the step of removing from the sharp edge of themargin of the rod the extremity prism.
 9. Method according to claim 7,wherein the step of blunting comprises the step of beveling or filing orpolishing the ends of the rod.
 10. Method according to claim 7, whereinthe step of blunting occurs during the cutting of a rod (62) from alonger member (60).
 11. Method according to claim 7, wherein the step ofblunting is performed. by cutting said longer member (60) with a cuttingedge (72) that rotates about the longitudinal axis (Y) of the longermember.
 12. Method according to claim 7, wherein the step of bluntinggenerates on said edge an inclined plane or a corner with a radius ofcurvature greater than or equal to 0.25 mm.
 13. Method to produce rodsthat make up a support as in claim 1, with the step of: blunting theouter edge of at least one end (66) of each rod before fixing the rodsto said rings.